2012 MLB Playoffs: St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees Advance to LCS

The New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals each won the fifth and deciding games of their respective division series on Friday to advance to the championship series round of Major League Baseball's 2012 postseason. Here's a recap of all of Friday's MLB action:

NLDS Game 5: St. Louis 9 — Washington 7

Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma each hit two-run singles with two outs in the ninth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to beat the Washington Nationals, 9-7, in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park on Friday. The Cardinals' four-run, ninth inning comeback came after Washington sprinted out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. St. Louis will now face the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series beginning on Sunday.

Washington rookie Bryce Harper tripled to score Jayson Werth in the first inning, before Ryan Zimmerman homered to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead. In the third inning, Harper hit a solo home run, which was followed by Michael Morse's two-run shot that extended the Washington lead to 6-0. The Cardinals chipped away with a run in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and one run in both the seventh and eighth innings before the game-winning rally in the ninth.

Descalso had three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs for the Cardinals, while teammate Carlos Beltran was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks. Kurt Suzuki had three hits for Washington, while teammates Harper, Zimmerman and Morse each had two base hits.

ALDS Game 5: New York 3 — Baltimore 1

CC Sabathia scattered four hits while pitching a complete game, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-1, Friday in the Bronx in the decisive Game 5 of the American League Division Series. New York will host the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship Series beginning on Saturday night.

After Sabathia and Orioles' starter Jason Hammel matched each other over the first four innings, New York's Raul Ibanez slapped a single past second baseman Robert Andino to score Mark Teixeira and give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Ichiro Suzuki doubled home Derek Jeter in the sixth, and Curtis Granderson homered in the bottom of the seventh to stretch the New York margin to 3-0.

The Orioles plated a run in the eighth inning on a single by Lew Ford. Baltimore loaded the bases with one out later in the inning, but outs by Nate McClouth and J.J. Hardy killed the rally. McLouth hit an earlier fly ball — which could have been a home run — ruled foul by umpires, who upheld the decision after viewing a video replay.

New York won the game with star third baseman Alex Rodriguez benched after suffering through a dismal series. Eric Chavez got the start in place of Rodriguez and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.